Search

Conducting a comprehensive analysis of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost is critical for quantifying environmental impacts and estimating production costs associated with new production methods. Therefore, the life cycle assessment and life cycle cost of 1 kg bonded Nd-Fe-B magnetic powder produced by different production methods from "cradle to gate" are studied in this study. The results indicate that recycling is more advantageous than direct production in both environmental and economic terms. Specifically, the endpoint impact categories for 1 kg of bonded Nd-Fe-B powder produced by various methods reveal that recycling and regeneration reduce the environmental impact by 42%, 41%, and 42% compared to direct production in the categories of Human Health, Ecosystem Diversity, and Resource Availability, respectively. Additionally, in terms of life cycle cost, recycling yields savings of 47% and 32% compared to direct production in the internal and external life cycle cost, respectively. The results demonstrate that the environmentally friendly and cost-reducing method of recycling and regeneration points out a pathway for transforming the industrial structure of bonded Nd-Fe-B magnetic powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different in-row soil management techniques were compared in the Olive Orchard Innovation Long-term experiment of the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Olive, Fruit, and Citrus Crops in Rome, Italy. Rows were managed with an in-row rotary tiller and with synthetic mulching using permeable polypropylene placed after cultivar Maurino olive trees planting. The effects of the two treatments were assessed through weed soil coverage and the growth of the olive trees. Results showed better agronomic performance associated with synthetic mulching. The weed control effect along the row of a young high-density olive orchard was higher with the synthetic mulching compared to hoeing. The effect of the synthetic mulching seemed to disappear when removed from the ground (spring 2023) since no significant differences were found for tree size and yield in the two tested in-row soil management systems at the end of 2023. Finally, the growth of the young olive trees (Trunk Cross Sectional Area, Height, and Canopy expansion) measured across the three years, was higher for the synthetic mulched row than the hoed one. The use of synthetic mulching along the row positively forced the vegetative growth of the young olive trees and anticipated the onset of fruit production compared to periodical hoeing: a significantly higher fruit production was registered three years after planting. Root diameter was higher under synthetic mulching one year after planting, and no differences were observed in the following sampling dates showing similar fluctuations linked to the seasonal growth pattern. The life cycle assessment and costing highlighted that the application of mulching had a higher eco- and economic-efficiency than the periodical in-row soil hoeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global move towards a circular economy, as well as that of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has necessitated the search for several sustainable solutions in various sectors. Given this, the provision of sustainable waste management and electricity systems constitute a significant part of the SDGs, and the waste-to-energy (WtE) concept has recently become a key topic given that it can potentially help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation, as well as minimizing the need to dispose of waste in landfill. However, to date, the sustainability assessments of WtE generation technologies have been limited in scope concerning the three-dimensional sustainability framework (economic, environmental, and social). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) has been proposed as a potential approach that could comprehensively address these three pillars of sustainability simultaneously based on life cycle thinking. LCSA, as a holistic method, could also potentially deal with the complexity associated with decision-making by allowing for the consideration of a full range of possible sustainability consequences. LCSA is an analytical tool that integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) methodologies, which already exist and continue to be developed. Individually, these life-cycle approaches tend to be used to point out particular 'hotspots' in product or service systems, and hence focus on direct impacts in a given sustainability domain, neglecting the indirect ones. LCSA aims for a more holistic sustainability perspective and seeks to address the associated challenge of integrating these three pillars of sustainability into an overall and more comprehensive sustainability assessment. This need for harmonization within the LCSA methodology is a major challenge in its operationalization. In recent years there has been steady progress towards developing and applying LCSA, including for WtE. The aim of this paper is to review the most recent trends and perspectives in developing countries, especially regarding how LCSA could help inform decision-making. The paper also analyses the LCSA literature to set out the theoretical and practical challenges behind integrating the three methods (LCA, LCC, and sLCA). The review was conducted via a search of keywords such as LCSA, waste, and energy in the Web of Science databases, resulting in the selection of 187 publications written in English. Of those, 13 articles operationalized LCSA in specific waste and WtE related case studies. The review provides a review of the application of LCSA for researchers, technological experts, and policymakers through published findings and identifies perspectives on new research. These include uncertainty, subjectivity in weighting, double-counting, the low maturity of sLCA, and the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions (environmental, economic, and social dimensions) of LCSA results in decision-making. In addition, gaps (such as the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions) that need to be addressed via further research are highlighted to allow for a better understanding of methodological trade-offs that come from using the LCSA analytical approach to assess the sustainability of WtE generation technologies, especially in developing countries. It is hoped that this study will be a positive contribution to environmental and energy policy decisions in developing countries faced with the dual problems of waste management and electricity supply along with their sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different in-row soil management techniques were compared in the Olive Orchard Innovation Long-term experiment of the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Olive, Fruit, and Citrus Crops in Rome, Italy. Rows were managed with an in-row rotary tiller and with synthetic mulching using permeable polypropylene placed after cultivar Maurino olive trees planting. The effects of the two treatments were assessed through weed soil coverage and the growth of the olive trees. Results showed better agronomic performance associated with synthetic mulching. The weed control effect along the row of a young high-density olive orchard was higher with the synthetic mulching compared to hoeing. The effect of the synthetic mulching seemed to disappear when removed from the ground (spring 2023) since no significant differences were found for tree size and yield in the two tested in-row soil management systems at the end of 2023. Finally, the growth of the young olive trees (Trunk Cross Sectional Area, Height, and Canopy expansion) measured across the three years, was higher for the synthetic mulched row than the hoed one. The use of synthetic mulching along the row positively forced the vegetative growth of the young olive trees and anticipated the onset of fruit production compared to periodical hoeing: a significantly higher fruit production was registered three years after planting. Root diameter was higher under synthetic mulching one year after planting, and no differences were observed in the following sampling dates showing similar fluctuations linked to the seasonal growth pattern. The life cycle assessment and costing highlighted that the application of mulching had a higher eco- and economic-efficiency than the periodical in-row soil hoeing.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) stands as a valuable agricultural commodity, witnessing an increasing market inclination toward environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly products. The current literature on the environmental impact and profitability of saffron cultivation is limited, underscoring a notable gap in comprehending the sustainability aspects of this crop. This study utilized a comprehensive multi-model approach to assess the sustainability of annual saffron cultivation, representing the first global detailed evaluation, conducted within a European context (Southern Italy). Energy analysis, physical and monetized life cycle assessment (LCA), and life cycle costing (LCC) were used for a cradle-to-farm gate assessment. One hectare of cultivated saffron, one saffron production yield (stigma, corm, and flower), and 1 kg of stigma yield were used as functional units. The total energy input was 65,073 MJ ha−1, being 33% direct, 67% indirect, 72% renewable, and 28% non-renewable. The majority (55%) of energy is derived from corm production. For 1 kg of saffron the energy efficiency, specific energy, and productivity were 2.98, 4.64 MJ kg−1, and 0.22 kg MJ−1, respectively, while these values dropped significantly for 1 kg of stigma. The multi-indicator LCA analysis using the ReCiPe 2016 model revealed significant contributions to various environmental impact categories. Results align with prior research, pinpointing fertilization and mechanical operations as the primary drivers of diverse environmental impacts. A noticeable carbon intensity was estimated, with a relevant contribution from corm production and human labor, aspects overlooked in previous LCA studies. Saffron cultivation maintains economic viability, with production costs at EUR 98,435 per ha−1 and a net return margin of EUR 172,680 per ha−1, bolstered by the high market price and by-product revenue. Monetization of LCA results revealed that external costs were EUR 15,509 per ha−1, being only 14% of the total cost. Investments in improving yield and resource efficiency have the potential to increase the eco-efficiency of saffron cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of renewable biological resources, including biowaste, within a circular framework, is crucial for the transition to more sustainable production and consumption patterns. By means of life cycle assessment and life cycle costing methodologies, this study compares the environmental and economic performances of two disposal scenarios for coffee silverskin, the major waste from coffee roasting. The business-as-usual (BaU) scenario, currently applied in the Metropolitan City of Naples (Italy), involves silverskin composting, while the proposed alternative scenario explores the valorization of silverskin as a functional ingredient in bakery products. The alternative scenario results are more advantageous since replacing flour with silverskin in bakery products reduces environmental impact by 96% more than replacing synthetic fertilizers with compost in the BaU scenario. Furthermore, in the alternative scenario, coffee roasters halve their silverskin disposal costs, compared to the BaU scenario (447.55 € versus 190.09 €, for 1 ton). Finally, the major environmental burdens are resource use for equipment construction (37% for BaU, 62% for alternative, on average) and electricity consumption (30% for BaU, 67% for alternative, on average), while the highest economic cost is due to personnel (58% for BaU, 88% for alternative, on average). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global move towards a circular economy, as well as that of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has necessitated the search for several sustainable solutions in various sectors. Given this, the provision of sustainable waste management and electricity systems constitute a significant part of the SDGs, and the waste-to-energy (WtE) concept has recently become a key topic given that it can potentially help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation, as well as minimizing the need to dispose of waste in landfill. However, to date, the sustainability assessments of WtE generation technologies have been limited in scope concerning the three-dimensional sustainability framework (economic, environmental, and social). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) has been proposed as a potential approach that could comprehensively address these three pillars of sustainability simultaneously based on life cycle thinking. LCSA, as a holistic method, could also potentially deal with the complexity associated with decision-making by allowing for the consideration of a full range of possible sustainability consequences. LCSA is an analytical tool that integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) methodologies, which already exist and continue to be developed. Individually, these life-cycle approaches tend to be used to point out particular ‘hotspots’ in product or service systems, and hence focus on direct impacts in a given sustainability domain, neglecting the indirect ones. LCSA aims for a more holistic sustainability perspective and seeks to address the associated challenge of integrating these three pillars of sustainability into an overall and more comprehensive sustainability assessment. This need for harmonization within the LCSA methodology is a major challenge in its operationalization. In recent years there has been steady progress towards developing and applying LCSA, including for WtE. The aim of this paper is to review the most recent trends and perspectives in developing countries, especially regarding how LCSA could help inform decision-making. The paper also analyses the LCSA literature to set out the theoretical and practical challenges behind integrating the three methods (LCA, LCC, and sLCA). The review was conducted via a search of keywords such as LCSA, waste, and energy in the Web of Science databases, resulting in the selection of 187 publications written in English. Of those, 13 articles operationalized LCSA in specific waste and WtE related case studies. The review provides a review of the application of LCSA for researchers, technological experts, and policymakers through published findings and identifies perspectives on new research. These include uncertainty, subjectivity in weighting, double-counting, the low maturity of sLCA, and the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions (environmental, economic, and social dimensions) of LCSA results in decision-making. In addition, gaps (such as the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions) that need to be addressed via further research are highlighted to allow for a better understanding of methodological trade-offs that come from using the LCSA analytical approach to assess the sustainability of WtE generation technologies, especially in developing countries. It is hoped that this study will be a positive contribution to environmental and energy policy decisions in developing countries faced with the dual problems of waste management and electricity supply along with their sustainable development goals.

Sustainability is a key objective of development policies within international organizations, and it is also progressively gaining importance in the wine industry as a whole and, more specifically, in the draught wine market. The competitive conditions of the wine sector and the evolution of consumption styles have led to an increasing need for more accurate management strategies and analysis activities to determine the performance of wineries. This study aims to analyse both the environmental and the economic concerns of a commercial development strategy implemented by an Italian winery that uses three packaging formats (glass bottle, one-way PET keg, and reusable steel keg) in the sale of Falanghina PGI wine on three different markets (domestic, Italy; regional, Germany; and international, USA). By assessing the environmental and economic impact of the different formats on the three scenarios through LCA and LCC analysis, it is revealed that the economic and environmental sustainability of packaging types can vary significantly depending on the market destinations. In any case, the results show that PET, and especially reusable materials such as steel, can lead to a marked reduction in impacts on the market for tapped wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maritime transport sector is nowadays an object of interest for the scientific community and shipping companies due to its embodied environmental and economic impacts. In this context, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methods can provide support in obtaining useful information through a detailed analysis of both the environmental and economic performances related to the whole life cycle of maritime means of transport. Based on this, the scope of this study is to provide a comprehensive literature review focused on the analysis of scientific articles in which the environmental and economic impacts of maritime means of transport have been assessed using the LCA and LCC methods. In particular, this study analyses 77 scientific articles in which the above-mentioned methods, as well as integrated approaches, have been applied. The analysis is performed using three review methods: bibliometric, network, and systematic analysis. The results outline the state of the art connected to the research area, as well as identifying the main scientific evidence and the availability of life cycle inventory data. Furthermore, methodological and practical issues are discussed through a critical analysis. This article is a revised and expanded version of a paper entitled "Assessing maritime transport through LCA and LCC: a literature review" presented at "IX Convegno dell'Associazione Rete Italiana di LCA", Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy), 9-11th December 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing interest in Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) applications for assessing the sustainability of processes, products and services, up-to-date syntheses and evidence-based critical outcomes analysis are required to guide future studies and policymakers. The systematic literature review is probably the most suitable approach for highlighting evidence of effects, impacts, and methodological choices, mapping the current knowledge and gaps in LCT fields, including methods such as Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, Social Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment. Although several statements and guidelines for health care and ecology disciplines and one checklist for systematic literature review limited to Life Cycle Assessment (STARR-LCA) exist, it is still missing a framework for conducting systematic literature reviews in LCT field. This paper proposes a “Framework for systematic Literature review to Analyse Vast InformAtion in Life Cycle Thinking studies” (FLAVIA-LCT) to assist and guide researchers in structuring the processes of gathering, synthesising, and reporting outcomes from search strategy development to critical evaluation, considering the essential information to be included in a review manuscript. This framework can be used by anyone planning a literature review on one or more LCT methods.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are becoming popular in urban planning and policy making as cost-effective solutions capable of delivering multiple ecosystem services and addressing several societal challenges. So far, however, the cost-effectiveness of urban NBS projects has not been consistently quantified by built environment professionals, who lack user-friendly tools to account for the environmental costs and benefits of NBS. This paper presents a prototype online decision support tool (NBenefit$®) that calculates the negative and positive environmental impacts, externalities, and financial values of planned urban forests over their entire life cycle. NBenefit$ relies on a modelling framework that combines system dynamics, urban ecology, and life cycle thinking approaches, and it is presented as a visual web-based interface. An online map and a grid of cells is used to map the site of intervention, to delineate the size of the urban forest, and to define variations in abiotic, biotic, and management attributes in each site. Outputs are provided by year, for the entire site and NBS life cycle. The potential value of NBenefit$ as a supporting tool was exemplified with the calculation of 48 urban forest archetypes, a few of which were used to set scenarios for a hypothetical urban forest in Madrid (Spain). The results showcase the impact that decisions taken during the planning, design, or management of an NBS project may have on its long-term performance. Future works will expand the scope of NBenefit$, including other types of urban NBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: A further increase in renewable energy supply is needed to substitute fossil fuels and combat climate change. Each energy source and respective technologies have specific techno-economic and environmental characteristics as well as social implications. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for prospective sustainability assessment of energy technologies developed within the Helmholtz Initiative "Energy System 2050" (ES2050). Methods: The "ES2050 approach" comprises environmental, economic, and social assessment. It includes established life cycle based economic and environmental indicators, and social indicators derived from a normative concept of sustainable development. The elaborated social indicators, i.e. patent growth rate, acceptance, and domestic value added, address three different socio-technical areas, i.e. innovation (patents), public perception (acceptance), and public welfare (value added). Results: The implementation of the "ES2050 approach" is presented exemplarily and different sustainability indicators and respective results are discussed based on three emerging technologies and corresponding case studies: (1) synthetic biofuels for mobility; (2) hydrogen from wind power for mobility; and (3) batteries for stationary energy storage. For synthetic biofuel, the environmental advantages over fossil gasoline are most apparent for the impact categories Climate Change and Ionizing Radiation—human health. Domestic value added accounts for 66% for synthetic biofuel compared to 13% for fossil gasoline. All hydrogen supply options can be considered to become near to economic competitiveness with fossil fuels in the long term. Survey participants regard Explosion Hazard as the most pressing concern about hydrogen fuel stations. For Li-ion batteries, the results for patent growth rate indicate that they enter their maturity phase. Conclusions: The "ES2050 approach" enables a consistent prospective sustainability assessment of (emerging) energy technologies, supporting technology developers, decision-makers in politics, industry, and society with knowledge for further evaluation, steering, and governance. The approach presented is considered rather a starting point than a blueprint for the comprehensive assessment of renewable energy technologies though, especially for the suggested social indicators, their significance and their embedding in context scenarios for prospective assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background A further increase in renewable energy supply is needed to substitute fossil fuels and combat climate change. Each energy source and respective technologies have specific techno-economic and environmental characteristics as well as social implications. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for prospective sustainability assessment of energy technologies developed within the Helmholtz Initiative “Energy System 2050” (ES2050). Methods The “ES2050 approach” comprises environmental, economic, and social assessment. It includes established life cycle based economic and environmental indicators, and social indicators derived from a normative concept of sustainable development. The elaborated social indicators, i.e. patent growth rate, acceptance, and domestic value added, address three different socio-technical areas, i.e. innovation (patents), public perception (acceptance), and public welfare (value added). Results The implementation of the “ES2050 approach” is presented exemplarily and different sustainability indicators and respective results are discussed based on three emerging technologies and corresponding case studies: (1) synthetic biofuels for mobility; (2) hydrogen from wind power for mobility; and (3) batteries for stationary energy storage. For synthetic biofuel, the environmental advantages over fossil gasoline are most apparent for the impact categories Climate Change and Ionizing Radiation—human health. Domestic value added accounts for 66% for synthetic biofuel compared to 13% for fossil gasoline. All hydrogen supply options can be considered to become near to economic competitiveness with fossil fuels in the long term. Survey participants regard Explosion Hazard as the most pressing concern about hydrogen fuel stations. For Li-ion batteries, the results for patent growth rate indicate that they enter their maturity phase. Conclusions The “ES2050 approach” enables a consistent prospective sustainability assessment of (emerging) energy technologies, supporting technology developers, decision-makers in politics, industry, and society with knowledge for further evaluation, steering, and governance. The approach presented is considered rather a starting point than a blueprint for the comprehensive assessment of renewable energy technologies though, especially for the suggested social indicators, their significance and their embedding in context scenarios for prospective assessments.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are becoming popular in urban planning and policy making as cost-effective solutions capable of delivering multiple ecosystem services and addressing several societal challenges. So far, however, the cost-effectiveness of urban NBS projects has not been consistently quantified by built environment professionals, who lack user-friendly tools to account for the environmental costs and benefits of NBS. This paper presents a prototype online decision support tool (NBenefit$®) that calculates the negative and positive environmental impacts, externalities, and financial values of planned urban forests over their entire life cycle. NBenefit$ relies on a modelling framework that combines system dynamics, urban ecology, and life cycle thinking approaches, and it is presented as a visual web-based interface. An online map and a grid of cells is used to map the site of intervention, to delineate the size of the urban forest, and to define variations in abiotic, biotic, and management attributes in each site. Outputs are provided by year, for the entire site and NBS life cycle. The potential value of NBenefit$ as a supporting tool was exemplified with the calculation of 48 urban forest archetypes, a few of which were used to set scenarios for a hypothetical urban forest in Madrid (Spain). The results showcase the impact that decisions taken during the planning, design, or management of an NBS project may have on its long-term performance. Future works will expand the scope of NBenefit$, including other types of urban NBS.

Floodplain restoration as a means of stormwater management (SWM) can benefit communities and the environment but is uncommonly chosen due to limited familiarity in rural and urban planning. This study uses life cycle assessment and life cycle costing (LCC) to compare four SWM alternatives for a typical rural setting undergoing development. We evaluate a case study in Lancaster County, PA in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed which, through community stakeholder planning, undertook a novel SWM plan by restoring its historic floodplain. We evaluate the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) metrics, global warming (GW), eutrophication and acidification and cost for each alternative over a 100‐year period of analysis including construction, maintenance, and end‐of‐life decommissioning. Assuming a 5% discount rate, and that soils do not require off‐site hauling due to contamination, the cost and LCIA metrics for floodplain restoration are not significantly higher than the more conventional surface basin alternative. Although LCC is highly sensitive to the transport of soil off‐site, more than doubling the costs for the underground stormwater infiltration basin (USIB) and increasing eightfold the cost for the floodplain restoration, contaminated soil removal is rarely needed on rural land. For USIB, LCIA metrics are sensitive to the choice of recycling versus incinerating plastic components, with recycling resulting in lower GW; and for the permeable pavement alternative, additional maintenance to extend its lifetime shows favorable cost and reduced GW. We conclude that in rural settings where soil is not contaminated, floodplain restoration offers environmental and social benefits for SWM that outweigh its costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E10 is a blend of 10% bioethanol and 90% gasoline that can be used in the engines of most cars without causing damage. Currently for the E10 blend, Jamaica imports gasoline from Trinidad & Tobago and bioethanol from Brazil because the bioethanol production in Jamaica is at an early stage. However, the country has great potential for bioethanol production. In order to assess the environmental and economic feasibility of bioethanol in Jamaica, this paper presents an economic and environmental life cycle assessment for a case study in Jamaica in two different scenarios. The Baseline Scenario represents the use of E10 in the current conditions in which bioethanol comes from Brazil and gasoline from Trinidad & Tobago. Scenario I represents the use of E10 with bioethanol from Jamaica and gasoline from Trinidad & Tobago. The comparative environmental life cycle assessment revealed that the Baseline Scenario had better results than Scenario I in ten environmental categories. The economic assessment results in Scenario I were 7% higher than in the Baseline Scenario. Hence, the current context (Baseline Scenario) was identified as the scenario with the best economic performance. Therefore, the current situation in Jamaica (Baseline Scenario) scored better results than Scenario I from an environmental and an economical point of views. It is recommended to increase the bagasse cogeneration of Scenario I to lower the environmental impacts. To improve their productivity, it is necessary to improve the Jamaican sugar infrastructure by combining molasses and cane juice to produce bioethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in train speed and axle load is an important goal to achieve in the future. From a technical standpoint, ballastless tracks seem to be suitable to the aim, especially when high-speed passenger trains share the track with freight trains. Based on the above, the primary objective of this study is the comparison between ballasted and slab tracks regarding total costs over the life course. A suitable model to evaluate the total costs of competing solutions is set up. A solution for solving the issue of CO2 price fluctuation and for the quantification of External Costs is also formulated. Life Cycle Costs are estimated based on agency, environmental and present user values. Analyses and results show that when Life Cycle Costing-based approaches are applied: i) Agency Costs have to be considered in the long-term perspective; ii) expected life has an appreciable impact and several solutions and systems, more affordable in the short term, yield unfavourable maintenance and renewal processes; iii) if total costs are considered over track life, the breakeven point is very far from the construction. Furthermore, the differences between the total Present Values of the two solutions become too small to yield sound conclusions in favour of the ballasted vs. the ballastless solution.

Castor is a candidate crop that grows in marginal lands in the Mediterranean area. It can be grown by utilizing minimal resources to provide unique industrial chemicals or to serve as an energy crop. However, it can be also cultivated with intensive inputs providing higher yields. Whether a high input or a low input scheme is more sustainable depends on the economic and environmental impacts of each case. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to evaluate these impacts under the Mediterranean climate and farming conditions by examining two alternative scenarios: a castor crop grown on a low-inputs field vs. a crop grown in a high-inputs one. The environmental impacts were estimated by following a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology based on GHG emissions. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was performed by switching the functional unit from 1 Mg of castor oil to 1 hectare. The economic feasibility of the castor crop production was assessed by calculating the gross margin, which is referred to the difference between revenues and the variable costs due to the agricultural phases. In addition, the ratio between gross margin and GWP (Global Warming Potential) emissions was applied to calculate the economic performance (gross margin) per unit of environmental burden. Findings showed that the castor oil produced by high inputs resulted in a more sustainable scenario due to its higher yield than low-inputs ones. On the other hand, sensitivity analysis showed that the field management with low inputs showed GHG emissions that were 27% lower than those emitted from the field management with high inputs. Moreover, from an economic point of view, by switching the field management from low inputs to high ones, the Gross Margin increased by about 73%. Finally, the high-inputs scenario showed the best ratio between economic performance and GHG emitted into the atmosphere.

Life cycle gap analysis (LCGA) is a specific technique to interpret life cycle assessment (LCA) results from a circular economy (CE) perspective in order to identify potentials to further improve a product's sustainability. This paper conceptualizes an extension of the methodology by integrating cost assessments. The visualization of the final results in an eco-efficiency diagram indicates barriers and drivers of business models for circular and sustainable products. It therefore supports engineers, product designers and researchers in analyzing the consequences of their innovations and solutions regarding both the vision of CE and sustainable life cycle systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study provides an overview of the research focus on vacuum insulation panels (VIPs). Scientific literature published between 1960 and 2022 is identified, and a database covering 423 documents is amassed. In the first phase, research documents were categorised into three groups: product, other and buildings. In the second phase, data about the studied building applications and research topics were extracted and quantitatively evaluated. In the last phase, the studies evaluating VIPs' environmental and economic implications in buildings were analysed in detail. The study results show an increasing publication trend on VIPs, with almost 90% of the literature published from 2010 onwards. Building applications are the dominant research subject, representing 56% of identified documents. A detailed analysis of life cycle studies pointed to a consensus that in building applications, fumed silica VIPs exert a higher environmental impact and costs than conventional insulation materials if the comparison is based on an equivalent thermal transmittance value. However, several studies showed reasonable payback and environmental neutrality periods for retrofitting scenarios. Benefits could also be achieved if insulation layer thickness is limited. External wall insulation represents the vast majority of the applications analysed. Studies further showed that VIPs in external wall applications could be economically viable compared to conventional insulation if added useable floor space is considered. The characteristics of life cycle studies were analysed, research gaps and possibilities were identified, and research recommendations for environmental and economic studies of VIPs were provided. [Display omitted] • Research highlights and trends for past research on VIPs are presented. • 56% of studies evaluate building applications, 87% documents published after 2009. • Detailed analysis of LCA and LCC studies and multiple findings highlighted. • Recommendations for future life cycle studies of VIPs presented. • A database file of amassed documents generated and made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste has caused double waste of resources in the food itself and the food supply chain of production, transportation, cooking, and processing, resulting in unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and economic losses. This paper first conducted the quantification of students’ food waste and the collection of canteens operation data in the three canteens at Taiyuan University of Technology (China) in 2019 through the weighing method and interview. Then an integration of Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing was used to quantify the impact of food waste in university canteens on the environment and costs. The study found that the total amount of food waste in the university canteens with 22,000 students was 246.75 t/a, the carbon footprint caused by food waste was 539.28 t CO2-eq, and the cost was 4,729,900 yuan. Most of the impact of canteen meals on the environment comes from the use of energy in food cooking and the consumption of animal food types. The innovative integration of life cycle cost calculations highlights the key role of the labor required for cooking. The research results answer the basic scientific questions of how much food is wasted in the university canteens, and the carbon emissions and cost ratios of these wasted food in all links of the supply chain. The research results can provide a policy-making basis and data support for reducing food waste in universities and realizing carbon emission reduction in university canteens.

The agricultural sector in the Mediterranean region, is increasingly using reclaimed water as an additional source for irrigation. However, there is a limited number of case studies about product-based life cycle analysis to ensure that the overall benefits of reclaimed water do indeed outweigh the impacts. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methods are used in this study to investigate the environmental impacts and costs of vineyard cropping systems when tertiary reclaimed water is used as a supplementary source of irrigation water (integrated system). The conventional production system utilizing 100% groundwater was used as a reference system. As a proxy for sustainability, eco-efficiency, which combines economic and environmental performance, was assessed. The LCA revealed that the integrated system could reduce the net environmental impact by 23.8% due to lower consumption of irrigation water (−50%), electricity (−27.7%), and chemical fertilizers (−22.6%). Nevertheless, trade-offs between economics and the environment occurred as an integrated system is associated with higher life cycle costs and lower economic returns due to lower crop yield (−9.1%). The combined eco-efficiency assessment (ratio of economic value added to total environmental impact) revealed that the integrated system outperformed in terms of eco-efficiency by 12.6% due to lower environmental impacts. These results confirmed that reclaimed water could help to ensure an economically profitable yield with net environmental benefits. Our results provided an up-to-date and consistent life cycle analysis contributing to the creation of a valuable knowledge base for the associated costs and benefits of vineyard cultivation with treated wastewater.

Anaerobic codigestion of olive mill wastewater for renewable energy production constitutes a promising process to overcome management and environmental issues due to their conventional disposal. The present study aims at assessing biogas and biomethane production from olive mill wastewater by performing biochemical methane potential tests. Hence, mixtures containing 0% (blank), 20% and 30% olive mill wastewater, in volume, were experimented on under mesophilic conditions. In addition, life cycle assessment and life cycle costing were performed for sustainability analysis. Particularly, life cycle assessment allowed assessing the potential environmental impact resulting from the tested process, while life cycle costing in conjunction with specific economic indicators allowed performing the economic feasibility analysis. The research highlighted reliable outcomes: higher amounts of biogas (80.22 ± 24.49 NL.kgSV−1) and methane (47.68 ± 17.55 NL.kgSV−1) were obtained when implementing a higher amount of olive mill wastewater (30%) (v/v) in the batch reactors. According to life cycle assessment, the biogas ecoprofile was better when using 20% (v/v) olive mill wastewater. Similarly, the economic results demonstrated the profitability of the process, with better performances when using 20% (v/v) olive mill wastewater. These findings confirm the advantages from using farm and food industry by-products for the production of renewable energy as well as organic fertilizers, which could be used in situ to enhance farm sustainability.

The life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) is a tool to assess sustainability from a life cycle perspective, which has been receiving increased attention over the years. This work presents a systematic review of the current application of LCSA, presenting the foundations, main methods, current operationalization state, and major challenges to its broad implementation. The review protocol considered the search of keywords in Scopus and Web of Science databases. The search has considered the literature published or in the press until December 2018, resulting in the selection of 144 articles written in English. Of those, 71 articles operationalize LCSA in real case studies, while the remaining consist of review, viewpoint, and methodological development articles. This review demonstrates that the use of LCSA has been increasing in recent years. Today, the most applied approach is to consider LCSA as the sum of life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, and social life cycle assessment because it is built on the methodologies that already exist and are under continuous development. However, the lack of harmonization of the methodology is a central challenge to its operationalization. Therefore, LCSA still requires further improvement in, among others, definition of coherent system boundaries, the development of robust databases to allow the assessment of economic and social perspectives, definition of impact categories that allow comparability between studies, development of impact assessment methods, development of methods to carry out uncertainty analysis, and communication strategies. Besides, further case studies should be developed to support the improvement of the methodology and a better understanding of the interaction of the environmental, economic, and social aspects. Unlabelled Image • There are several approaches to conduct LCSA. • LCSA = LCA + LCC + SLCA is the most used approach. • Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods are widely used to assess LCSA. • Methodological challenges for operationalization of LCSA are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To establish a bioeconomy, the demand for renewable resources like wood is likely to increase. To satisfy the demand, cascading, i.e. the sequential use of one unit of a resource in multiple applications with energy recovery as the final step, is a key concept to improve the efficiency of wood utilization. Today, the systematic wood cascading is still in its infancies and limited to the downcycling of wood, i.e. the degradation of material quality. New recycling technologies are needed, which maintain the material quality at the beginning of the cascade chain and mobilize yet unused resources. Therefore, a new recycling technology for recovered solid wood from construction into glued laminated timber products was developed. 1 1 The process was developed in the research project 'Cascading Recovered Wood — CaReWood', funded within the European WoodWisdom-Net Research Programme. To identify the environmental and economic performance of the process, the eco-efficiency was assessed by the joint application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). As reference system, the incineration of the recovered wood was analyzed, representing the common treatment for recovered wood from construction in Germany. System expansion was applied to solve multifunctionality. The results indicate that the recycling of recovered wood into glued laminated timber products is environmentally and economically viable and offers possibility for the production of value added products. The recycling further shows up to 29% of lower environmental impacts and 32% of lower costs compared to the incineration, if system expansion is based on wood energy. The operational processes required for the solid wood cascading are of minor relevance for the economic and environmental performance. Instead, primary technologies like glue lamination and the incineration are key drivers. In all considered scenarios, the material recycling has a 15–150% higher eco-efficiency compared to the incineration. In conclusion, the further development for the practical implementation of the recycling process is recommended to enhance the implementation of the cascading concept. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The integration of an off-grid solar-assisted heat pump (SHP) and a sequencing batch biofilter granular reactor (SBBGR) for thermal energy recovery from wastewater was assessed by means of a prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC), by theoretically scaling up a pilot installation in Bari, Italy, to a full-scale unit designed for 5000 person-equivalents. The LCA and LCC included all activities in the life cycle of the SHP and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), namely construction, operation and end-of-life. The thermal energy produced by the SHP was assessed as supplying heating and cooling for an air-conditioning system, displacing a conventional air-source heat pump powered by electricity from the grid. This integrated system was compared to a reference situation where wastewater is treated in a conventional WWTP applying activated sludge with no thermal energy recovery system, showing clear environmental benefits in all impact indicators, such as a 42% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and a cost reduction of 53%. Several sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings, with the exception of the price rebound effect, which showed that the lower cost of the integrated system could lead to overturning the environmental benefits. As a limitation of the study, the distribution of the supplied air-conditioning to meet a demand off-site the WWTP premises, such as in residential buildings or hotels, was not included. Therefore, our results constitute only a preliminary positive outcome that should be validated in a real-life application. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A solar-assisted heat pump (SHP) coupled to a sequencing batch biofilter granular reactor supplies an air-conditioning system. • Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing were applied to a scaled-up unit treating sewage for 5000 person-equivalents. • Results show environmental benefits, such as a greenhouse-gas emission reduction by 42% compared to a reference situation. • Life cycle costs are reduced by 53%, leading to an estimated saving of 27€/person-equivalent/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automotive industry has striven for fuel economy and resource efficiency through the deployment of powder metallurgy (PM) manufacturing processes for few decades. However, PM technology for transmission gears is currently only used at a small scale within the automotive industry. This is mainly due to: its shortcomings in material properties and performance gaps for final parts; lack of advancement in pressing technologies (dimensional limitation); lack of data availability (e.g. on materials, load capacity calculations; gear design experimental confirmation); premature failed attempts on PM gears; economics of scale and large initial capital investments. This article reviews the current state of the art of PM gear manufacturing technology highlighting an important gap in technical and financial data availability for PM gear economic analysis. Thus, this study seeks to give some empirical evidence of the economic aspects of PM gear manufacturing. Data availability is still the major challenge with respect to PM cost calculations thus further studies are needed to quantify both the economic and non-economic benefits e.g., sustainability, noise vibration harshness (NVH) of PM adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the use of a wide variety of materials is a result of the increasingly complex multi-material design regarding the key challenge of stricter environmental regulations in the automotive sector while facing equivalent or even enhanced technical and economic benefits. Modern joining technologies additionally contribute to this challenge, whereby technologies for structural metal structures seem to be established. Examinations – which are very costly also in terms of time – are required to ensure the feasibility of a joining technology. However, historical data is not sufficiently available for multi-material design. Hence, this research presents a novel prediction-model for an improved decision-making of joining technologies, which interpolates potentials of still untested joining technologies in the early stage of lightweight engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even if practitioners want to adopt new manufacturing technologies, there is a lack of comprehensive tools to support their decisions, regarding both cost and sustainability. This paper reviews and compares the practical use of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) with a performance part costing (PPC) model, chosen based upon the criteria of providing in-depth analysis capabilities and the prospect of integrating cost and sustainability assessment. A case study of a Swedish gear manufacturer is selected, where the company investigates adoption of a new manufacturing technology. Since, this type of decision requires heavy investments e.g. in new machines, tools, linking performance with costs would be a prerequisite for performing well-informed decisions. Based on interviews, the level of detail requirements e.g., performance indicators, when acquiring new technologies are identified. LCC model cost parameters are compared with the PPC cost drivers and the data availability and estimation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous literature reviews on life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) have delved into methodology, case studies, reviews, and discussions on indicators and integration. However, there has been a limited focus on redefining the economic dimension of the LCSA framework and addressing challenges at lower technological readiness levels (TRL) for emerging technologies. This study fills this gap by concentrating on the economic dimension of LCSA and its application to emerging technologies. We introduce innovative suggestions for expanding the traditional Life Cycle Costing (LCC) method to incorporate costs concerning various stakeholders and introduce tangible indicators suitable for diverse stakeholder groups. Our research also categorizes emerging technologies based on TRL within LCSA, highlighting the significant impacts and data sources. Two primary areas of recommendations emerged: 1) For emerging technologies, we emphasize using diverse data sources, the importance of uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and the need for accurate characterization factors. 2) On the economic front, we advocate for an expanded LCC approach, the potential of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), and the exploration of ties between micro and macroeconomic dimensions. • There is no consensus to assess the economic dimension in LCSA. • Convention LCC is the most used approach for assessing the economic dimension in LCSA. • Methodological challenges for assessing LCSA of emerging technologies are identified. • A conceptually grounded framework for operationalization within LCSA is still missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) brings new opportunities for creating intelligent and streamlined supply chains that have better environmental and cost performance as compared to conventional ones. In this paper, we quantify such improvements for a specific logistics chain case. To support the inventory of cost and emission data, we utilize system dynamics (SD) and agent-based modeling (AB) to define the structure of the two logistical systems, simulating and estimating differences in e.g., required storage levels, efficiency of transport, etc. In particular, we assess the difference in carbon emissions, cost, and market performance of a battery delivery chain in the delivery process between a two-tier IoT-supported supply chain (users are served by an IoT retailer directly connected to the producer) and a conventional three-tier supply chain (include an additional wholesaler to connect retailer and producer). The results demonstrate that IoT supply chains have significant advantages in minimizing average product storage and shipment fluctuations. IoT suppliers can estimate market demand to adjust production and transportation strategies for new orders. Consequently, the overall profitability of the IoT supply chain increases by more than 30%. Heating and lighting emissions in the storage process and direct emissions in transportation per functional unit (one unit of a Li-ion cell module) are reduced by 60%–70% under middle- and low-demand scenarios, and by at least 50% under high-demand scenario. However, the increasing use and higher loading rates of heavy trucks will weaken the advantages of IoT. Moreover, IoT products occupies a 10% lower market share compared to conventional ones under the same pricing strategy but achieves similar market share under the same value-added strategy. • Shipment is the dominant contributor in both supply chain emissions. • IoT enables a two-tier supply chain with less required warehouse space and waste. • IoT supply chain can reduce carbon emissions by 50%–70% in most scenarios. • IoT helps enterprises to acquire higher profits with lower market occupation. • Reducing the supply frequency through heavy trucks will weaken IoT's advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]